sunday supper: embrace the slime

It's true, the slime of okra can be somewhat off-putting. But the thing to remember is that while it really looks slimy, it doesn't really feel slimy. Plus, that slime serves as a pretty nifty thickener when okra is used in stews and gumbos. But there is much more to okra than stews.



I mean, okra really is a summer vegetable, and stew is not so much a summer dish, so doesn't it make sense that okra should have some more versatile applications that highlight it's freshness? It makes complete sense to pair it with other classic summer vegetables - like tomatoes and corn. This is done beautifully in this recipe for a skillet salsa from The Kitchen Sink, a food blog far more worthy of your perusing than this one.



I served this winner with baked wild striped bass, a perfect summer menu, and nothing to feel guilty about, for a change. Recipe after the jump:



OKRA, CORN AND JALAPENO SKILLET SALSA
Adapted from Cooking Light

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup fresh yellow corn kernels (about 2 ears)
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound okra, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add corn; saute 3 minutes. Add jalapeno, garlic and okra; saute 3 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in tomatoes and remaining ingredients.